Pile loop severing apparatus and method



June 14, 1960 a. STEVENS, JR 2,940,284

PILE LOOP SEVERING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed May 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Breaks Sfevens, Jr

BY J 4 a figs- 7; AT TOBNEY June 14, 1960 5; STEVENS, JR ,9 0, 8

FILE LOOPQQSEVERING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed May 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O N 2 m (9 o D co PO L i I o [I 2:

g 2 Al 5 INVENTOR. Brooks Srevens,Jr. I 8 BY 2 w TJ} jflnnxf ATTOR NEY United States Patent PEJE LOOP SEVERING APPARATUS AND METHOD Brooks Stevens, In, Concord, Mass., assignor to rkmes Textile Corporation, Lowell, Mass., a corporation Filed May 29, 1956, Ser. No. 588,165

8 Claims. (Cl. 66-91) This invention relates to the knitting of cut pile fabric and, more particularly, to a novel method and means for knitting such fabric and severing the pile loops to form a cut pile.

Pile fabrics, such as terry cloth, towelling, etc. can be knit as a variation of plain jersey knit fabric, using two yarn guides instead of one. One yarn guide feeds yarn to form the pile loops, which may later be severed, if desired, and the other yarn guide feeds yarn to form the body of the fabric. In this case, the pile fabric is formed using latch cylinder needles cooperable with pile forming elements on an inside dial plate.

One known way of knitting a pile fabric on a jersey fabric knitting machine is to use latch cylinder needles cooperable with sinkers mounted in the outside dial or sinker bed, the needles and sinkers being cooperatively actuated by suitable cams which may have pattern wheels associated therewith. The sinkers are formed with noses and throats, and the needles draw the pile loop forming yarn down over the noses of the sinkers to form the pile loops. The stitch or body forming yarn is fed to the needles below the sinker noses and at the level of the sinker throats.

In another method, an inside dial is equipped with needles, and the cylinder needles draw the pile yarn down between the dial needles to form the loops, the stitch or body yarn being picked up by the cylinder needles below the level of the dial needles. In a variation of this method, the dial needles are replaced by blanks mounted in the dial, eliminating the need for latches to cast the pile loops off the dial needles and for means to subsequently open the dial needle latches.

The fabrics made by these two methods are identical with respect to stitch formation and the arrangement of the two yarns in the stitch. However, they frequently are characterized by a very rough, irregular, and unsightly back or jersey side. This is a result of the fact that each pile loop, after formation, must be freed from the loop forming inside or outside dial means, such as the sinkers, needles, or blanks, before the new stitch is formed by a subsequent yarn feed.

During each subsequent yarn feed, the new stitch, composed of both pile loop yarn and stitch or body yarn, is pulled by the needle through the stitch formed previously. The stitch yarn normally has no slack, but the loop yarn does have a great deal of slack or looseness due to release of the loop from the dial element. The frictional effect of the needle and yarns of the new stitch being drawn through the previously formed stitch may pull some of the loop yarn slack through to the back side of the fabric in an irregular manner, thus causing the fabric back to have an unsightly appearance.

The appearance of the fabric can be improved greatly by having the full extents of all the pile loops appear on the same side of the fabric. One way of efiecting this is to retain each pile loop, as formed, held in extended condition until the next succeeding pile loop is formed.

Patented June 14, 1960 ice dial extensions project outwardly between the knitting needles at such a level that the pile loop yarn is drawn over these elements, and the stitch yarn is fed beneath the elements.

The upper, or loop engaging, surface of each element is so configured that constant tension is maintained on the loops successively formed thereover. For example, this surface may be formed as an arc extending inwardly from the needles and centered approximately at the point where the completed fabric passes over the inner edge of the cylinder and downwardly therethrough.

As the knit fabric is drawn downwardly, the successive loops are moved inwardly along this curved surface. As the knitting operation proceeds around the cylinder, a rotating, pressure crushing wheel is brought successively into contact with the elements adjacent the inner ends of the loop forming surfaces to crush cut the earliest formed loop retained thereon by crushing the bight of this loop against the loop retaining surface.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the knitting of pile fabric on a machine equipped with latch cylinder needles and sinkers mounted in a dial;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevation view illustrating the novel fixed element, the loops retained thereon, and the crush cutting of the innermost retained loop;

Figure 3 is an elevation view partly in cross section showing usual driving means for the dial and supports for said dial and its associated cap, which latter carries the crushing wheel;

Figure 4 is an elevation View showing the crushing wheel rotating on the fixed dial elements so as to successively move into operation relation therewith;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 2 but shows in addition the mounting for the crushing wheel and some of the adjustments for setting it; and

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation view on lines 6-6 of Figure 5 and shows the spring mechanism that presses the wheel onto the dial elements.

Referring to Fig. 1, a pile fabric 10 is illustrated as being knit using latch cylinder needles 15 and sinkers 20. In this method of knitting pile fabric, needles 15 are successively elevated to the knit position, above upper noses 21 of sinkers 20, to catch loop pile yarn 25 fed at the knit position or level. Needles 15 are raised by the usual cam arrangements common in the art. Similarly, sinkers 20 are operated by the usual sinker cams so that alternate sinkers 20B and 20D are projected further than intermediate sinkers 20A and 20C.

As loop pile yarn 25 is caught in the hooks 16 of needles 15, it is pulled downwardly as the needles 15 are retracted toward the cast off position to form loops over the lower noses or surfaces 22 of the alternate sinkers and over the upper noses of the intermediate sinkers. Stitch or body yarn 45 is fed to needles 15 at the level of the throats 23 of sinkers 20, so that stitch yarn loops are drawn over surfaces 22. It will be noted that the double yarn new stitches 11 are drawn through previously formed stitches 12 by needles 15, the loops and means for retaining each loop fully extended until a succeeding'loop or loopshave been'formed, and then severing the bight of the earliest formed loop to provide a uniform cut file fabric. 7,

Referring to' Fig. 2, in accordance with the present invention, inside dial 39 is provided or formed with fixed 1 elementsSS projecting between needles mounted in slots 41 of cylinder it elements 35 being at a level such that loops of pile yarn2-5 are drawn over the elements and stitch yarn'45 is fed beneath the elements. For this purpose, elements '35 are formed with elevated forward ends having *arcuate upper and lower edge surfaces 36, 37, respectively. Loop drawing surface 36 may, for example, be an arc extending inwardly and downwardly, and may be centered, for example, at a point where wall 41 joins the upper surface of the inner edge 42 of cylinder 40, over'which fabric 10 is drawn into the cylinder.

-As each successive pile loop 13A, 13B, 13C is drawn over elements 35 by needles 15, it slides inwardly along surface 36'as fabric it is drawn into cylinder 4t). As is usual in this art, the knitting operation proceeds circumferentially around the machine. A rotating crushing wheel 50, mounted on a spring pressed axle 51, moves as a unit around the axis of cylinder 40 in synchronization with the knitting sequence so as to pass successively over circumferentially adjacent elements 35. Wheel 56 is so located andoriented that, at each element 35, it is pressed against and crushes the bight of the innermost pile loop 13A. The cut pile thus formed is drawn downwardly by fabric 1%. Thus, all pile loops are held fully extended while succeeding. loops are formed, and until cut by wheel 50 to form a cut pile.

Referring now to Figure 3, post 6% is one of theusual three or four depending on the'make of machine, that rises from the bedplate and supports the cross arms 61 that radiate from' the central hub 62. Hub 62 has a finish turned extension 63 that centers dial cap 70. Hub 62 acts as a bearing for dial shaft 8t? that passes axially therethrough. Dial 30 is held on the tapered lower end of shaft 84 by nut 81, and key 82 ensures that dial 3% and its associated shaft 86 turn as one unit.

Dial drive gear 9% is slideably fastened to the upper 'end of shaft 89 by key 91, and the whole shaft 39 is surmounted by a height adjusting wheel or nut (not shown) that moves dial shaft 3% up or down through gear 90 to obtain the proper height of dial 3 3 relative to the cylinder top; Gear rests'against theiupper end 'of hubf62 and usually a thrust bearing is interposed to carry the weight; Ge'ar' 2 is adjustably fast to a shaft 93' that is revolved by a gear which is fastened to, its lower endand. meshes with the gear that carries the cylinder 40. Ratios of this gearing are suchthat dial 353 will rotate in unison with cylinder 4%.

Dial cap 76 is held stationary and adjusted for height 7 s'tuds 100 that pass through cross-bar arms 61. The cap 70 may be raised or'lowered by turning nuts 1t and 102.. The usual yarn guides 110 are supported on cams as said :cams and cylinder rotate relative to one anotheip. In a rotating cylinder machine as shown, the

cylinder 40 and dial 3% rotate as a unit while the knitting cams, dial cap 7fi and associated parts, such as crushing wheel Stl an'cl yarn guides 119, are stationary, exceptof course that wheel 56 rotates about its axle'51. In a .the, invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

would remain stationary while the other parts including dial cap 70 carrying crushing wheel 50 would rotate. Again, wheel 50 would rotate on its axle 51. This is well illustrated by Figure 4 which shows the relationship between a knitting feed and crushing wheel 50; In this figure the dot-dash line B indicates the tops of the needles as they approach the knitting cam. As shown the needles approach at tuck height B from the left of Figure 4, rise to clear height at C the stitch cam.

Figure 5 shows how axle 51 is threaded into holding block 120 with a not 121 for locking it in a desired radial location.

Figure 6 shows arms 122 and 123 that extend sideways from block 120. Arm 122 is pivoted at 124 in block 125 that is fastened to cap 70 by screws. Arm 123 forks around screw 13% that enters into a threaded and then follow down hole in cap 70. Compression spring 131 bearsagainst washer 132 forcing arm 123 in a clockwise direction about pivot 124 and thus spring presses wheel 50 against dial elements so as to crush cut the 'yarn loops 13 formed over said elements 35.

The knitting machine parts shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be recognized as standard construction for dial body machines. Details of course change among different makes though the parts shown could pertain to any of the standard makes of body machines.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the applicationof the invention principles, it will be understood that What is claimed is: V

1. The method of knitting a cut pilefabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile y-arn over dial elements projecting radially outwardly through the cylin- V derneedles from a dial located within the cylinder of needles, said method comprising the novel steps of, during each stitch-forming sequence, drawing a loop of pile yarn over a dial element; retaining said loop fully extended until at least one succeeding pile loop has been drawn over such dial element in a succeeding stitch-forming sepile loop has been drawn over such dial element in a quence; and thereafter severing the bight of the first formed loop to form a cut pile;

2 The method of knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cyllnder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over inside dial elements, said method comprising the novel steps of, during each stitch-forming sequence, drawing a loop of pile yarn over a dial element; retaining said loop fully extended, on such dial element until at least one succeeding succeeding stitch-forming sequence; and thereafter severing the bight of the first-formed loop to form a cut pile.

3. The method of knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over inside d1al elements, said method comprising the novel steps of, during each stitch-forming sequence, dravn'ng a loop of pile yarn over a dial element; retaining said loop fully extended on such dial element until at least one succeed ling pile loop has been drawn over such dial element in a succeeding stitch-forming sequence; and thereafter crushing the bight of the first-formed loop against the dial element to sever the loop and form a cut pile.

4. The method of knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over insuch dial element as the fabricis drawn into the cylinder,

at least one succeeding pile loop is drawn over leueh dial element in a succeeding stitch-forming sequence; and; thereafter severing the. bight of the first-formed loop to forma cut pile.

stationarycylinder type machine the cylinder 40and dial I 5. The method of knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over inside dial elements, said method comprising the novel steps of, during each stitch-forming sequence, drawing a loop of pile yarn over a dial element; moving said loop, while retaining it in fully extended condition, inwardly along such dial element as the fabric is drawn into the cylinder, while at least one succeeding pile loop is drawn over such dial element in a succeeding stitch-forming sequence; and thereafter crushing the bight of the first-formed loop against the dial element to sever the loop and form a cut pile.

6. The method of knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over inside dial elements, said method comprising the novel steps of, during each stitch-forming sequence, drawing a loop of pile yarn over a dial element; retaining said loop fully extended on such dial element until at least one succeeding pile loop has been drawn over such dial element in a succeeding stitch-forming sequence; and thereafter pressing a rotating crushing Wheel against the bight of the first-formed loop to sever the bight and form a cut pile.

7. The method of knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over inside dial elements, said method comprising the novel steps of, during each stitch-forming sequence, drawing a loop of pile yarn over a dial element; moving said loop, while retaining it in fully extended condition, inwardly along such dial element as the fabric is drawn into the cylinder, while at least one succeeding pile loop is drawn over such dial element in a succeeding stitch-forming sequence; and thereafter pressing a rotating crushing Wheel against the bight of the first-formed loop to sever the bight and form a cut pile.

8. Apparatus for knitting a cut pile fabric utilizing cylinder needles drawing loops of pile yarn over dial elements projecting radially outwardly through the cylinder needles from a dial located within the cylinder of needles, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a plurality of fixed dial elements each projecting outwardly between adjacent knitting needles from a dial located within the cylinder of needles at a level such that pile yarn loops are drawn over said elements and stitch yarn is fed therebeneath; said elements retaining the pile loops formed, during each stitch-forming sequence, until at least one succeeding pile loop has been drawn over each element in a succeeding stitch-forming sequence; said elements including downwardly and inwardly curved upper edges over which the drawn loops move inwardly in succession; and a rotating crushing wheel movable successively into operative relation with circumferentially adjacent elements to crush and sever the bight of the earliest formed pile loop thereon to form a cut pile; said crushing wheel engaging the pile loops inwardly of the cylinder needles and adjacent the inner ends of said upper edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,596,527 Grundy Aug. 17, 1926 2,203,948 Dupuis June 11, 1940 2,802,355 Clark et al. Aug. 13, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,594 Germany Sept. 11, 1935 832,549 France July 4, 1938 

